Free Essay: Battle of the Bulge
The battle of the Bulge is one of a kind as it has a deep-rooted history that many people are not-well-versed with. The battle was the key engagement of the World War II. The battle of Bulge took place between 16th December and 25th January 1945 and was a German offensive campaign through the forest of Ardennes region of Wallonia in the France, Luxembourg and Belgium. Adolf Hitler planned the offensive attack with his goal set to take back the essential Harbor of Antwerp.
The surprise attack caught the allied forces completely unexpectedly and many soldiers lost their lives in the operation. The Germans offensive campaign was supported by different subordinate operations and was strong enough to stop allied transport over the harbor of Antwerp. This offensive campaign was strategized to split the British and American allied forces line in halves hence the Germans will be able to proceed and destroy the four allied armies and push for a treaty between the involved parties. It was a great strategy that will also give Hitler an opportunity to concentrate on the eastern theatre of war.
Every strategy embraced by Germans was effective and well-executed. In essence, the offensive was planned with ultimate secrecy and this included minimizing radio traffic, moving equipment and troops under the cover of darkness. Unfortunately, every detail could not remain secretive as the Third U.S Army’s intelligence staff was able to predict an imminent attack by the German’s offensive team. However, there was no precise date of the attack given.
On December 16th, three German armies launched the most desperate and deadliest war against the west. The inexperienced United States 106th division was almost annihilated, but the St.Vith defense team led by Brigadier General Bruce C. Clarke drove deeper into the Ardennes and secured the substantial bridgeheads west of the river Meuse. German was short of fuel and the thoughtfulness of the America troop in the frozen forest proved dangerous to Hitler’s group.
One of the few advantages that the German forces had was that they were no longer defending all of the Western Europe. All the front lines in the west had languished from the battle with the allied offensive. On 16th December 1944, the Germans began their assault with a massive 90-minute artillery bombardment. Heavy snowstorms on some parts of the Ardennes area kept the allied team grounded. The weather also proved troublesome for the Germans and their advances were also hampered. By 19th December, the American troop retook Stavelot an attempt that easily broke the German lines.
With numerous counterattacks from the allied forces and lack of fuel and ammunition, Von Manteuffel asked to withdraw on 24th December, but Hitler could not let this happen as he pushed his troops to press north in early January. At the Montgomery region, the Germans were forced to escape and leave behind their vehicles and equipment. By 25th January, the Germans offensive campaign came to an end however it had great impact to the involved nations.
More than 20,876 allied soldiers were killed, 23, 554 went missing or were captured and 42,893 were wounded by the end of the battle of Bulge. On the other hand, more than 15,652 Germans soldiers were killed, 41,600 wounded and 27, 582 were captured or went missing. The defeat of the German troops helped cease the war. It also led to the end of the German army and the Nazi reign. The Battle of Bulge is widely acknowledged as the greatest battle in American and German history.
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Sources
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwarii/p/bulge.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge
http://www.army.mil/botb/overview.html